Tigers need to look within to solve bullpen woes
By The Heckler
Baseball Big Mouth
baseball news
Funny how the surest things in sport often times turn out to be anything but. Take the Detroit Tigers’ bullpen this year. Coming off their American League Championship last year, the Tigers’ pen looked to solid as a rock like Ashford and Simpson as the season started: Joel Zumaya bringing the heat while surrounded by change-up specialist Fernando Rodney and closer Todd Jones. Sure, they lost lefty specialist Jaime Walker to the Orioles, but looked to up-and-coming Wilfredo Ledezma to pick-up the slack there, all the while retaining veteran long-man Jason Grilli and bringing greybeard Jose Mesa on-board for support. Arg, me mateys, but soon, trouble was a brewin’ – and the team has yet to right the ship.
Detroit’s team bullpen ERA is hovering in the mid 5.00’s and Zumaya is possibly lost for the season with an injury to a knuckle on his pitching hand. Rodney has been a shell of his former self (while also serving time on the DL) and Jones recently surrendered five runs in the ninth inning against Cleveland (!) to blow his second-consecutive save opportunity. And Ledezma? Let’s just say there’s a reason the team now has both Bobby Seay and Tim Brydak on board (and it ain’t ‘cause Ledezma has been lights-out). Why, rumor has it, Troy Percival might even get another chance with the club – EGAD! Can it be that bad? Reality check, Tigers’ fans – it is. The time for new recruits is now.
In the words of the immortal Yogi Berra, “If you ain’t got a bullpen, you ain’t got nuthin.”
Among the names being bandied about include the Texas Rangers’ Eric Gagne, Akinori Otsuka, C.J. Wilson or Ron Mahay; Renyel Pinto of the Marlins; and Al Reyes of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Among the names rumored to be up-for-grabs from the Tigers? Mike Maroth – who just doesn’t seem to fit with the club anymore; Craig Monroe or Marcus Thames – depending on whom the other team wanted more; Roman Colon – who is just coming back from injury but is out of options; plus, any number of prospects from Jair Jurrgens and Dallas Treahern to Eulegio De La Cruz and others.
The Heckler agrees with the wisdom that it is better to see what these prospects could possibly do at the MLB level first – even out of their element in a relief role – before shipping them off for a veteran arm, at least one short of someone like a Brad Lidge. But good luck getting him now, especially given that it looks as though he has settled down in his new setup role. Short of that, why not really go for broke and put up Brandon Inge on the block? Surely there would be some takers. You could do a lot worse than Inge as your third baseman (from other club’s perspectives - not The Heckler’s) and his inclusion could possibly put a bigger trade into gear.
General Manager Dave Dombrowski will be carefully watched this year as he looks to address this ever-apparent need. Look to the farm first, says The Heckler, before taking a gander at someone else’s rutabaga.